Expressing the sense of the Senate that the comments made by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, threatening to penalize ABC and Disney for the political commentary of ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel were dangerous and unconstitutional.

Summary

States findings that the First Amendment protects political speech and that the FCC lacks authority to censor or punish broadcasters for editorial decisions. Asserts that on September 17, 2025 the FCC chair threatened ABC/Disney over a Jimmy Kimmel monologue, that affiliates preempted the monologue and ABC/Disney suspended the host, and that those outcomes resulted from coercive pressure that chilled broadcast free expression and amounted to an abuse of power.

• Asserts that the First Amendment protects political speech and broadcaster editorial decisions.
• States the FCC lacks authority to censor or punish broadcasters for their editorial choices.
• Alleges the FCC chair threatened ABC/Disney over a Jimmy Kimmel monologue on September 17, 2025.
• Says affiliate preemption and the host's suspension resulted from coercive pressure by the FCC chair.
• Finds the chair's conduct caused a chilling effect on broadcast free expression.
• Characterizes the conduct as an abuse of power that undermines press independence and trust.
• Does not create new legal authorities, funding, or mandates—serves as a formal statement of findings.